Nismo is a legendary name among petrolheads. Which is why it’s now turned its attention to the… Juke. Eh?

9th Apr 2013

What we say:

Nissan's fixed the woeful boot space with the 2014 facelift, but the Juke remains an oddity we struggle to understand

What is it?

There isn’t another family hatch on sale that’s quite like the Nissan Juke. Its styling really is unique, combining crossover, supermini and SUV in a way like nothing else. Underneath, though, it’s much more normal.

A recent facelift has brought myriad styling tweaks to the party, as well as improved boot space and more efficient engines.

Driving

The Juke looks like a crossover but only the expensive ones actually get four-wheel drive. The rest drive just like a normal front-drive family hatch, so are rather forgettable.

Engine choices include 1.2 and 1.6-litre petrol engines, and a 1.5-litre diesel in varying states of tune. The most powerful Juke is the Nismo RS, which offers 218bhp. The most economical, meanwhile, is the 110bhp 1.5-litre diesel, which manages just over 70mpg.

On the inside

More style-first on the inside, with a coupe-like dash that makes it feel very modern. The high-set view out is good too, but space in the rear isn’t great and the shape seriously compromises boot space. Boot space is up for 2015, but rear-seat space is still near-inadequate for a small family.

Owning

Good reliability is a given with a Nissan, and the diesel delivers strong fuel economy too. It’s on the pricey side though: frequent special editions offer best value.

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